Friday, February 26, 2016

"The Good, The Bad and The Dumb"

Ok, let's just get this out of the way up front: I'm probably going to say something things in this post that are going to offend some people. I do that sometimes; I say things that upset someone's liberal sensibilities and they write me about what a meany I am. Good times.

So, quick, avert thine eyes lest you read on and risk my "less than progressive" ways upsetting you. For everyone who's still here, come on in. Enjoy the train wreck about to unfold...

So I go into the driver's lounge with my food, right? Well I end up being the only person in there. First off, that's clearly a sign of the apocalypse. Secondly, the tv is on "COPS", one of my favorite shows. Can my day get any better? I say nay.

Talk about good fortune, they've got fresh hot wings and half gallon containers of cow juice. I recently switched to low-fat milk so I apparently feel I have to consume larger quantities. Don't judge Grog and his appetite.

Consumables purchased I practically skip back into the tv room. Just in time for a chase scene to start. (It really is shaping up to be a perfect evening). Here's how it plays out:

A driver was speeding and flees going north in the southbound lanes. He spins out and a cop tries to get in front of him. The dude hits the cop car and takes off. Another cop gets involved. Dude spins out again on a bridge. They think they've got him pinned in. Until he backs up and goes around them.

From there they change directions and pursue him some more. (By the way, they'd said "we've got him boxed in" right before he figured out they left the lid open on that box. Good going, cops. It shouldn't have taken an engineer to figure out he wasn't as "boxed in" as they thought). Anyway, back to the chase. He's speeding away and loses control on a turn. BAMMO! He hits a car head-on.

Bad luck for the innocent motorist who got hit. The cops zoom in, get the suspect on the ground and in custody. Hooray for the good guys, right? Their first concern is to check on the other driver and any by-standers. They call for medical assistance, make sure no one is in immediate need and turn their attention to Mr Bad Guy Driver (they don't give names so I make them up). Turns out he's drunk. Not just a little but a lot. We're talking near coma here.

Ambulances show up and paramedics tend to Mr What The Hell, I Was On My Way Home guy. Long name, I know, but it seemed to fit him. While he's getting looked at the cops explain to the camera crew that they're gonna get Mr Bad Guy Driver taken to the hospital to get checked out then he's going to jail. Because he did bad things and innocent people got hurt.

And here's where I start having a problem. This jackalope didn't care about anyone else when he started driving drunk. He didn't care who he may kill while playing Gone In 60 Seconds with the cops. Yet he's being taken care of and taken to the hospital in case he got hurt.

I say no. He doesn't deserve that medical care. Nope. I don't care if he ruptured his spleen and shattered his pelvis. I couldn't care less if he was bleeding out. You show a blatant disregard for those you could've killed, why should we care about your well-being?

This led me to think about an experience I had many years ago. I'd only been driving a truck for about a year at the time. I can still remember it like it just happened though.

I was driving through San Antonio about 6 in the morning on a Sunday. Traffic was really light and there was a local day-cab truck in front of me. Fortunately I always leave plenty of distance between me and whoever is in front of me.

Up ahead I saw a car pull onto the shoulder of the highway and park. The driver's side door opened just a crack. The other truck and I were in the middle lane so there was plenty of room if the driver decided to get out.

As we got closer, he did get out. As soon as he got both feet on the ground he took off at a sprint and ran out in front of the lead truck. I swerved a little out of instinct but I'm surprised I managed to find the brake pedal because I was so shocked by what I was witnessing.

This guy made it almost fully in front of the other truck. Almost. Instead he got clipped by the passenger side fender. And he flew. About 10 feet in the air and 15 feet or so sideways. He basically caromed off the truck like a human snooker ball. He landed back on the shoulder of the highway but he was definitely not going to get back up.

The driver that hit him pulled to the shoulder quickly. I pulled in behind him. I ran back to check on the runner. He was alive but probably just barely. Several cars were already pulling over and everyone was calling 911.

The truck driver that hit him? He was still behind the wheel. Crying. Yes, I would've probably been too had I been him. Except rumor has it I may lack tear ducts. Who did I feel for though? The truck driver. Not just because he's a fellow truck driver but because he was an innocent victim who's life may get ruined for this.

The Bouncing Runner got airlifted to the hospital where they managed to save his life. I remember standing there, though, while he was moaning "help me". And I remember thinking "just a second ago you didn't care whose life you ruined and now you want help. Ironic."

Does that make me cold and callous? Possibly. But I think we should care more for those who deserve it. Those who value life. Their own life and the lives of others.

Criminals generally don't care who they hurt in the commission of their crimes. By definition criminals aren't the most moral people. Some are worse than others, I'll agree. However, I'm real tired of seeing people claim there's a police brutality issue. Theirs are generally the first lives on the line when dealing with the bad guys. Show them some appreciation.